@bufbiwh719: I hauled myself onto the vanity and looked down. Two guests were strolling through the garden, laughing under the lights. I opened my mouth. They looked up. I hid. By the time I found the nerve to look again, they'd gone. Was I protecting myself or throwing away my best chance? If they were his friends, calling to them could have been a disaster. I also had Imogen to think about. She and the other girls might still be prisoners. I'd wait until they were safe, keep Dante on my side, and persuade him to let me into the garden. After all, he'd heard the miserable family history. Dad gone. Mom drinking. My fear that I'd lose Imogen, too. He'd let me talk, then turned the key behind him. Being a good listener didn't make him safe. It did suggest that I held his attention. I needed to make that count. A noise dragged me from sleep just before daybreak. Dante was crawling across my floor in white jeans and a gold shirt, with a mostly empty glass in one hand. He climbed up beside me. I pulled the sheet close and kept edging away. “Couldn't stay away. You were all I could think about.” I swallowed and smiled. “You've been on my mind, too.” Especially the problem of getting past him. He produced gold confetti and tossed it over us. “You should've joined the fun.” I noticed how drunk he was. Maybe there was a chance here before the one I'd planned for. “We still could. Take me down for a dance.” I leaned closer. “Just us.” If any guests remained, they might see me. If everyone had left, I might be able to run when his attention slipped. I tilted my mouth toward his. He sat upright before I reached him. Whether he'd dodged me or simply lost interest, I couldn't tell. He offered me drugs. I declined; I couldn't afford to get foggy now. Then he got out of bed. The next thing he said was startlingly clear. “You don't owe me a performance. You can stop acting like you like me.” This is a story I wrote! If you’re into it, come check out my characters on Cycle AI and show them some love！ #Cycleai #RomanceReads #DarkRomance #BookTok #Suspense

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